The present invention relates to a method for modifying cereal or grain based materials that have low soluble fiber content and high insoluble fiber content so as to enhance bile acid binding capacity by increasing the level of available soluble fiber that can be obtained from such starting materials as well as the viscosity in order to create ingredients that are useable in food intermediates that are suitable for lowering unhealthy cholesterol levels. More particularly, the present invention relates to a process for controlling a number of parameters such as temperature and moisture content as well as providing for such other steps as the mechanical pretreatment and alkali treatment of grain or cereal based starting materials, including but not limited to wheat bran or shorts.
The present invention is related to a novel component for use in a food intermediate intended for incorporation into a consumer food product. More specifically, the ingredient or component, provided either alone or acting synergistically with other select ingredients is part of an ingestible food product intended for human or animal consumption that provides a health benefit. The food component provides beneficial hypocholesterolemic activity through increased bile acid binding activity and increased viscosity while simultaneously delivering a food product, which is not adversely affected by the inclusion of the modified bran product, either in taste or texture or in any undesirable side effects.
There is a large amount of information in circulation today concerning elevated cholesterol levels and the health consequences due to that condition. In an effort to combat this result, a number of pharmaceutical applications, dietary supplements and other solutions relating to the treatment of high cholesterol levels have been previously introduced. However, regrettably, many of these products have unpleasant attributes, such as mouth feel, that is they can feel slimy or sticky, have a displeasing taste or result in undesirable side effects which diminishes their overall value to the intended end user.
In addition, there also appears to be a growing disdain against ingesting some sort of dietary supplement, pharmaceutical treatment or other product to attain some perceived beneficial effect from such products. This may be due to a growing reliance on pills or tablets to sustain or maintain our health. The growing dependence on supplements may also surprisingly contribute to malnutrition as other valuable. vitamins and minerals can be omitted or overlooked when too much focus is diverted to certain items. Moreover, certain supplements may actually remove valuable macronutrients and micronutrients from the system. Individuals may also be concerned with potential risks and side effects associated with certain medications, treatments or supplements. In fact, dietary restrictions and other health concerns may preclude certain portions of the population from even consuming such products. As such, there remains a continuing interest in developing good tasting, well balanced, food products that contribute to a well balanced diet as well as provide a vehicle by which to deliver the benefit of cholesterol reduction in a palatable and efficient manner to meet the changing needs of the population.
Cholesterol in humans is known to come from primarily two sources, the body's own production of cholesterol (endogenous) and dietary cholesterol (exogenous). Lipoproteins contain specific proteins and varying amounts of cholesterol, triglycerides and phospholipids.
Bile acids are synthesized from cholesterol in the liver and then secreted into the intestines. Reducing the level of bile acid reabsorption facilitates the maintenance of a healthy cholesterol level. One method for reducing bile acid reabsorption is achieved by increasing the gut viscosity. Alternatively, a non-digestible dietary component which binds bile acids secreted in the proximal jejunum will reduce bile acid reabsorption in the lower intestines (distal ileum).
There are three major classes of lipoproteins and they include very low-density lipoproteins (“VLDL”), low-density lipoproteins (“LDL”) and high density lipoproteins (“HDL”). The LDLs are believed to carry about 60-70% of the serum cholesterol present in an average adult. The HDLs carry around 20-30% of serum cholesterol with the VLDL having around 1-10% of the cholesterol in the serum. To calculate the level of non-HDL cholesterol present (find the level of LDL or VLDL levels), which indicates risk; the HDL is subtracted from the total cholesterol value.
Typically, the average person consumes between 350-400 milligrams of cholesterol daily, while the recommended intake is around 300 milligrams. Increased dietary cholesterol consumption, especially in conjunction with a diet high in saturated fat intake, can result in elevated serum cholesterol. Having an elevated serum cholesterol level is a well-established risk factor for heart disease and therefore there is a need to mitigate the undesired effects of cholesterol accumulation. High cholesterol levels are generally considered to be those total cholesterol levels at 200 milligrams and above or LDL cholesterol levels at 130 milligrams and above. By lowering the total system LDL cholesterol level, it is believed that certain health risks, such as coronary disease and possibly some cancers, that are typically associated with high cholesterol levels, can be reduced by not an insignificant amount.
Numerous studies relating to modifying the intestinal metabolism of lipids have been done to illustrate that such effects can reduce a high cholesterol level. Hampering the absorption of triglycerides, cholesterol or bile acids or a combination of these items results in a lowering of cholesterol levels in the serum.
Soluble fiber typically remains undigested, except by colonic microflora present in the lower intestines. Soluble dietary fiber is believed to have a beneficial effect in the reduction of high serum cholesterol levels and reducing the risk associated with such elevated levels. In addition, soluble dietary fiber can have the additional beneficial effect of reduced constipation and improved regularity. However, too much fiber in the diet can create undesirable gastrointestinal side effects such as flatulence, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps, etc. leading consumers to stay away from food products that contain too much dietary fiber, regardless of any associated health benefits. While some consumers may not completely avoid such products, they also do not typically regularly use such products due to the problems enumerated above or alternatively, or in combination due to the unpleasant taste of such products. This illustrates some of the problems with prior solutions that were aimed at providing high fiber diets directed at lowering cholesterol levels, and highlights the need to create a more balanced solution that fits not only within more normal dietary patterns but also meets consumer demand for better tasting, healthy products.
Another difficulty with many of the prior art solutions, regardless of whether they are successful in lowering cholesterol levels or not, is simply a matter of the cost of the ingredients or components which are needed to achieve the desired benefit. Only a very small segment of the population may be willing to pay eight or even ten dollars for a box of cereal or a loaf of bread, despite the benefit associated with it. In addition even if consumers purchase such a product initially, the high cost is likely to be more of a disincentive to purchase the product in the future, when compared with the incentive of the health benefit associated with the product.
A still further issue associated with such prior art food problems is that the consumer may be forced to eat several servings of the food product in order to attain the benefit of cholesterol reduction. This further complicates the delivery of the health benefit to the consumer in that a consumer may not want to eat a half a loaf of bread or consume three or more bowls of cereal at a meal. Moreover, over consumption can lead to other problems such as weight gain.
There have been previous attempts to increase the level of soluble fiber from sources that are high in insoluble fiber, however such prior methods have relied heavily on hydrating the resultant materials such that the material has a moisture content of around 95% and a solid content of approximately 5%. However, this creates a sticky or slimy mass that has a tendency to gel and is very difficult to handle. In addition, such prior processes generally extract only about 30 percent by weight of useable components from the initial starting source, and even a significantly lower amount of soluble fiber (usually less than four or five percent) creating a lot of waste through loss of solids and expense in evaporating water.
Another concern created by the extraction of fiber via such known methods is that the prior art processes create a lot of waste material in discarding the hulls and other portions of the crops. In addition, potentially less expensive sources of fiber are overlooked due to the fact that there is such a low level of soluble fiber present in such sources.
As such, what is needed is a process for increasing the recovery of soluble fiber from known sources or sources which do not economically prejudice the resulting food intermediate or food product and using the recovered fiber in the provision of food products that provide beneficial hypocholesterolemic activity.